Improvement in shell-fuses



J. G. BUTLER;

Improvement in Shell-Fuses.

No.129,930, Patented m 30', 1872.

W1 NESSES.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFIcE.

JOHN G. BUTLER, U. s. A., or FORTRESS MONROE, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHELL-FUSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,930, dated July 30, 1872.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN G. BUTLER, United States Army, of Fortress Monroe, in the county of Elizabeth City and State of Virginia, have invented anew and Improved Percussion-Fuse for Rifle Projectiles, of which the following is a specification:

Nature and Object of the Invention.

Hitherto, in ordinary percussion-fuses applied to the head of rifle projectiles, if the parts perform their functions a feeble flame of ignition is generated, but before it can ignite the bursting charge the latter is, by the force of impact, driven against the fuse with such force as greatly to diminish the chances of ignition. Again, the fuse, receiving the first efi'ect of impact, may be so distorted and disarranged as to prevent the proper action of its parts. It is the object of my invention to obviate these difficulties. By placing my fuse in the rear of the shell the head of the latter is left stronger, and the fuse itself is protect ed from injury; and by an improved construction I obtain a powerful flame of ignition, which is driven forcibly into the bursting charge the instant after the projectile has fairly struck an object.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

General Description. Corresponding letters denote corresponding parts.

A is the base of a projectile, the longitudinal section of which is shown in dotted lines. B is a metal fuse-stock screwed into the same. I is a metal plungersecured in the cylindrical space Y of the fuse-stock by safety-pin. Y is a cylindrical space, inwwhich the plunger P moves when the safety-pin is broken. N is a firing-pin. E E is a thin metal washer riveted at R, which serves as a gas-check, and tightly seals the junction of thefuse-stock and projectile. D O D is a metal disk center-primed at G. This center-primed disk D O D forms the cover. The center-priming O is exploded by the firingpin N, which, in this case, is detached from and struck by the plunger I" up on impact. The chances of ignition are further increased by serrating the surface of the firing-pin N and incasin g it in a tube, T, filled with fuhninate or friction composition, through which the firing-pin is driven before it reaches the priming at G. This tubeis held in position by means of a wide flange, which rests upon the shoulder S S, and is attached there- I to by a cylindrical tube or collar, F F, by a copper casing, or in any other suitable manner.

Claim.

I claim as my invention- In an ordinary fuse-stock, a primed disk and firing-pin, said firing-pin being construct 

